1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tubular access devices and more specifically to such access devices which are adapted for disposition across a body wall to provide access into a body cavity.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Tubes are used in many surgical procedures to provide access into various body cavities. These tubes are commonly referred to merely as access devices. Illustrative of such a device would be a gastrostomy tube which is adapted for disposition across an abdominal wall and a stomach wall to provide access to a stomach cavity. The lumen or channel of the gastrostomy tube can then be used to introduce food and nutrients directly into the stomach cavity.
In a common gastrostomy procedure such as that disclosed by applicant in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/230,165; filed Apr. 19, 1994; and entitled Gastrostomy Apparatus & Method, T-anchors are individually positioned through the abdominal wall and the stomach wall to draw the stomach into proximity with the abdominal wall. With the stomach in this proximate position, a mechanical obturator has been used to position a trocar through the abdominal wall and stomach wall leaving the working channel of the trocar to provide access into the stomach cavity. An elastomeric gastrostomy tube has been provided with a Malecot structure axially stretchable using a mechanical stylet to provide the tube with a low profile. In this configuration, the gastrostomy tube has been inserted through the working channel of the trocar and into the stomach cavity. The trocar and stylet have then been removed leaving the gastrostomy tube to provide access into the stomach cavity.
This procedure, which requires many separate instruments and method steps, is relatively complex. As a consequence, a high level of skill is required in order to ensure that all of the instruments function properly in combination. The time required for the procedure is relatively long greatly increasing the cost of the surgery.